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Appeared in print: Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010, page A8

Hope Amendment sets a floor

The editor misses the point in the Feb. 13 editorial, “Promise couldn’t be kept,” regarding the amendment to the Oregon Constitution which states, “Health care is a fundamental right” (House Joint Resolution 100). I am a chief co-sponsor of the Hope Amendment, along with Rep. Mitch Greenlick, establishing the basic premise upon which further debate about health care reform in the Oregon Legislature will take place.

The editorial mentions that universal care is a worthy goal — we already have a form of it called the emergency room, which treats everyone regardless of age, income or proof of citizenship and causes a huge cost shift to private-pay individuals and insurance companies.

Ironically, on Page 4 of the Business section of the same edition is the article “Health insurance rates soar,” which quotes an insurance industry person saying, “You’re going to see rate increases of 20, 25 and 30 percent for individual health policies in the near term.” It mentions one family of four in Maine whose private rate could be as high as $1,876 per month if their company’s rate increase goes through in July.

The Hope Amendment for health care is not pie in the sky; it sets a floor for debate by advocating the same fundamental right we recognize for universal education, which applies to everyone regardless of income or proof of citizenship.

BILL MORRISETTE

State Senator, District 6

Springfield

Terrible place for a wind farm

Standing alone, 9,773-foot Steens Mountain has endured domestic sheep, cattle and feral horses on its western flank; it has survived the mines pocked into its eastern face. Through it all its waters continue to nourish the wildlife refuge — and the ranches — below, and its stark character and beauty have prevailed.

Unfortunately, only a part of the mountain is in the public domain. Now, aging private landowners, with offspring off the acreage and uninterested in coming back, are trying to turn their ranches into wind farms (Register-Guard, Feb. 8). Where for a century and a half far-ranging livestock have fouled the soil and water, soon “green” giant turbines and transmission towers promise to desecrate the viewshed — and enrich the royalty rancher — without taking a step.

Satisfying the governor with green energy and jobs and a consumer base on the western side of the Cascades with green-washing, the absentee neo-cowboy and his stationary stock count on little opposition in a dry land with infrequent visitors and scarce inhabitants. Out of sight, out of mind.

But not out of all minds. Fortunately, there are those who know that providing a few short-term jobs for the long-term defacement of an Oregon icon is an unacceptable trade-off.

Too long the sacred cow has crushed sparse native vegetation and fragile layers of soil as he grazes the romantic landscapes of our imaginations. But beware the immovable beast born of ignorance and indifference. The cow, at least, is edible.

ROBERT EMMONS

Fall Creek

Asian-Americans come together

The recent case of the tasering of a newly arrived Chinese student in his own apartment resonated strongly with the local Asian-American community, many of whom had to deal with inappropriate or inadequate responses to their concerns by city authorities. Many from the Asian-American community had never before gotten involved in any sort of political action, but felt that the egregiousness of the current case demanded accountability from the Eugene Police Department and the city of Eugene.

The group got little traction until Mark Gissiner, the city’s new police auditor, took it upon himself to file a complaint directly with the Civilian Review Board, which monitors the activities of the Eugene police force. Gissiner’s background as a past president of the International Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement, which has worked in China extensively, gave him a particular sensitivity to the issue at hand. As a result, the board directed the police chief to re-open the investigation of the incident, which we fully support.

Through this process, Eugene’s Asian-American community has learned that more of us need to get outside our comfort zones and muster the courage to stand up for basic civil rights. We have learned that being an agent of change does not necessarily mean violating cultural norms. Hopefully, this will help the community continue to defend the rights of all residents, especially recent immigrants with limited English language skills and a lack of familiarity with bureaucracy in the United States.

REMIE CALALANG, BOBBY LEE, VICTOR LIN, PAMELA QUAN

and 13 co-signers

Eugene

He spoke out, but why so late?

I have found that as I have grown older, I have become more cynical. I did not intend for this to happen, it just naturally occurred, and after reading Paul Donheffner’s Feb. 7 guest viewpoint, I feel that my cynicism is well justified. Every voter in Oregon should be forced to read this account so they can understand just how deceitful and rotten the government of this state is.

Waldo Lake is the least of our problems. Our governor is a tyrant, and he has many people willing to help him circumvent the will of the people. As a state, Oregon is cursed with incompetence and fraud. But my biggest disappointment is that Donheffner waited until now to tell us what happened. Why didn’t Donheffner resign on Aug. 19, 2009, and go to the media the next day? See how easy it is for cynicism to grow?

LARRY M. CHASE

Springfield

Repeal religious clothing ban

Since 1923, a Ku Klux Klan-sponsored law prohibiting religious clothing worn by school teachers has been part of Oregon law. In the mid-1980s, a Sikh teacher was terminated and discredited because of this law for wearing a turban to her school. In 2009, the law was upheld after the Oregon Legislature carved out an exclusion for public schools under the Oregon Workplace Religious Freedom Act.

Last Wednesday, after almost 90 years of missed opportunities, Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt gave a passionate speech in favor of repealing the law. He was followed by representatives from both sides of the aisle and multiple faiths advocating repeal. Conservatives said it was time. Liberals said it was long overdue.

The final vote in favor of repeal was an overwhelming 51-8.

There were groups representing state government, business and multiple faith and interfaith groups backing the repeal. Many traveled from far away to watch the votes cast last Wednesday, and the Muslim community has come out in a huge way. Through the tireless work of Ms. Saba Ahmed, a Muslim attorney, the bill was passed. It was a heartfelt day full of the affirmation of consciousness.

At the end of the day after all the work, it was the House of Representatives itself that defined what needed to happen and why. Personally, for the first time in many years, I felt welcome in the state of Oregon.

Now we need to work toward the Senate following the lead of the House and confirming citizens’ rights in Oregon.